


Turning of the Shrew

by VioletPaget



Category: SHAKESPEARE William - Works, Taming of the Shrew - Shakespeare
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F, Femslash February, Genderbending, Trans Character, White Character(s), because let's talk about race
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-12 07:48:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29381589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VioletPaget/pseuds/VioletPaget
Summary: You, Lord Christopher Sly, are seated in your own private box in the crowded theater.  You’d been promised and entertaining evening. A play in two acts. Still rather drunk, you shuffle around, not quite able to get comfortable. “Everything all right, my lord, my husband?” asks your supposedly-your-wife in her tenor voice. “Yes, fine, madam wife” you respond, “just a little warm in here,” and with that you pull off your coat. You pull the program out of the pocket to read it, it takes time, but you get through the stars. Starring: Kate as Katerina, Petra as Petruchio, and Lucas as Lucentio. You flip the page to try to read the summery, but just then the lights dim, and the play begins.
Relationships: Katherine/Petruchio (Taming of the Shrew)





	1. Act 1

During my High School days, I was a macho young lad. Athletic and all rough and tumble. I liked to play sports with the guys and talk about girls. I was a talented actor, and constantly bragged about my many talents off the stage. When I went to college everyone assumed I’d become a successful athlete in many sports, easily get a job as an actor, my intended field of study, and find a woman to marry on graduation. And I did, but not in the way anyone suspected.

It all started one year when the university did a comical production of Taming of the Shrew. The point of comedy was that the shrew was to be played by a masculine man and I was picked by the director, naturally, as the sports bro, to play her. Initially I protested this decision, saying I wouldn’t do the play at all, as I doubted my ability to do the role, as I would have to be very feminine at the end of the play. How could _I_ be a girl? All the boys would make fun of me! It would be an embarrassment to me, and I would have to drop out of university! But the director knew just what to say to get me to do what she wanted. She said she thought I was a remarkable actor, one of the sophomores with the most promise. Alas, I was unable to protest my good acting abilities and accepted the role.

Another student in the class, Petra, cute, but not very feminine, was instructed to coach me in my role. We met after class for our first rehearsal at her house. She lived with her aunt while attending college, and since her aunt was out for the evening, we had the apartment to ourselves. “First” she said, “we must get you dressed for full effect.”

Since my, unfortunately, Luke Skywalker-esque hair was too short to do anything with, and she didn’t have a wig we didn’t touch it. For today she decided it was best to show me how to do foundation and eyeliner. She did the makeup, describing what she was doing as she was doing it. I was astonished at the transformation that came over me! Even with the tiniest level of makeup I looked so different! How could this be my face? Did girls really look so different in ordinary make up? I mean Petra didn’t were make-up normally, so I could not compare. “Oh no, I gave that up when I realized guys gave me too much attention. I can’t wear any for fun. Only for the stage,” she assured me when I asked to see her in some make up. Oh well. I would have to be only astonished at the difference on my own face.

Then Petra took my measurements, so I could be fitted for my costumes for our next rehearsal. After taking the measurements, she studied them for a minute. “I think you would fit quite nicely into one of my aunts’ gowns.”

“Oh, well, that would help get me into character. Let’s see if I might borrow it.”

She then left the room, and beckoning me to follow, we walked into her aunts’ room. She opened the closet there and pulled out a lovely gown. “Here try this on.” she said, shoving the dress into my arms and leaving me some privacy.

Since I desired very much to get to the lines, I stripped down to my underwear as fast as I could and slipped on the dress. It fit perfectly. Petra’s aunt must be extremely tall as the dress worked with my tall, manly height. She must also have a wide bosom, or be plump, as her dress nicely fit around my broad shoulders, and there would not be room for a bra or falsies which I would need in the play. I knew my character would wear jewelry, so I found a jewelry box and put on a delightful necklace. Seeing no clip-ons, I could not wear earrings, but for fun I picked up a pair Katherina might have and held them to my ears, I stole a glance in the full-length mirror. When I saw my reflection, I was amazed at how pretty Kate looked, and marveled at the young lady who stood in the mirror and wondered that she was really me, hidden underneath the dress and jewelry and make-up. Wow. What a delightful sight, I found myself thinking.

I left the room and found Petra sitting, ready for me. She looked up, startled, and said “My, what an awkward girl you make! Surely, we should practice the beginning of the play, when Katherina is the most a shrew!”

With that, I could feel my delight at the way I now looked melt away. I wanted to be the beautiful Katerina. I thought I had looked good. I wanted to be a convincing woman as to not to pull down the whole show. 

I asked if her “aunt or she herself might have some clip-ons. I think they might quite enhance the effect”.

“Oh, yes! What a good idea! I think my aunt has a few pairs…” She ran into her aunt’s room and came back with the most gorgeous earrings I’d ever seen. I blushed thinking of how beautiful they would look on me!

After going through the beginning of the play, we moved on to the more serious work of turning the athletic man into the ideal woman. By the end of our rehearsal, I felt I had a firm grasp on the character. Her essence. Her ticks, her mannerisms, her wants and needs. But I also felt something else stirring inside. Probably nothing worth thinking about. It’s totally normal for an actor to feel a sense of affinity for the character. Well anyway, I _was_ just the man for the role. It would be a challenge and I must put a lot of work into getting the motions just right, but I would almost certainly become a better actor. Hopefully the boys would not tease me too much!

Petra was truly a good coach. She would tell me what I got right but could see all my flaws and nothing slipped past her eye. She is a skilled actor and could coach me on that, but she was an even better observer and teacher of female behavior to me. I could coach her on her character, lines, and acting style but I’m afraid my professional talents where no match to what she gave me. Nevertheless, we soon became friends and began to spend time outside of class and rehearsals together. She clearly enjoyed my company, and I tried to flirt with her the second time we hung out, but she flatly declined, saying she didn’t date “sports bros,”. Fair. With that out of the way, we became bros, of the ordinary kind.

As weeks of rehearsal went on, I became a better and better woman. With much help from Petra I became comfortable in my role. Kate, though she appears to many to be a strong-willed woman who is then tamed into a demure, fragile woman, I found that she was in fact much like myself. Perhaps though my own experience playing her, I see her quite differently than most people. I often come off as athletic and rough, but I have found that I can be coaxed into showing the softer side of myself. And at the end of the play, Kate is still the same strong-willed woman, even after some character growth.

***

It was the final night. My mind wanted to go on overdrive and analyze every possible improvement I could make in my performance. I needed to distract myself. Playing Kate had sort of…become an addiction to me. I needed to be Kate every night, and not just to perfect the role, though that is what I told myself. I thought this shall be the last night I appear as a woman. I mean, the role of Kate in this production was an oddity, right? How many roles could a guy get playing a woman? After this, I would go back to being a full time guy, and I would stop needing to be Kate. I would just go back to being an athlete, actor, man. Or so I thought.


	2. Act 2

Sometime later, I gained a role in another play. This time the play was run by a community theater group instead of school and no one knew me there. The community theater is a professional organization, and usually does not allow students to be in productions. But for this production, they needed a very young actor to play a role. The role was for a female character, but since playing Kate had improved my acting quite a bit, I wondered how my acting would improve by playing a woman again. In addition, it was a paying gig, the opportunity every theater major dreams of. Though the side effect of working with a professional company would be school would be too much so I took that spring semester off.

Once I got the role, the first thing that came to my mind is to call Petra. For this new role, I would surely need some more help. And besides she’s my best friend, and we tell each other everything we’re up to. I explained to her that I liked working with her to become Kate and that now I’d set up a kind of experiment for myself. I wanted to know if I could be both actress and character. I would admire her greatly if she would help me acquire my own wardrobe, teach me make-up that’s not for the stage, and help me perfect my form as a lady, so that I might show up for rehearsals dressed as the young actress who auditioned for, and got the role.

She was glad to. “Oh! Yes, I would love to. It was so fun to be able to work with you your sophomore year. Does the young actress have a name?”

“Call me Kate.”

When I next could, we went on a shopping trip. I quickly got dressed, as the young actress, and we went to the mall. Upon arriving, we went to the food court to grab lunch. Petra brought me a salad and herself some fried chicken. I made a frowny face about how unfair it was, she replied “you shant eat any chicken until you can eat it like a lady. Now eat your salad. So, I watched her absolutely devour chicken while I was stuck nibbling lettuce.

The next part, surprisingly, as I used to hate it, was a lot of fun. We walked through the stores selecting the things I would need for my time with the professionals. We selected a few outfits, including bras and underwear. Then, there in a display, was a lovely, tiny hat, that caught my eye. It was so stunning and felt so me. Or rather her. “Don’t you think I should have that hat?” I asked Petra.

“You shall not have that hat.” She replied sternly. “It does not fit your head, not with that hair,” she finishes noting my totally blown out wig.

Well, I shall have to grow out my hair, and fast! I thought.

I went into a changing room to try on the things we’d selected. I stripped down to try on the panties. When playing Kate, I’d always worn men’s boxers, because why not? It was deeply hidden in my costume, and I already owned them. Why spend more time and money than necessary for a play? But now, I was to become a woman full time.

I studied myself in the mirror. You know, I think I look pretty swell, but I’m not sure I’m right somehow. Previously in my life, it had been just a fact; my body could be thinner, fatter, more muscled, but I was a boy so there couldn’t be anything wrong with my mannishness. I’d assumed that the shoe fit, cause everyone said it did. But here I was at the mall, buying panties and bras so I could pass as another gender, even should the worst wardrobe malfunction or a strip quick change happen, I was ready. And I was here cause I got a job as a woman, because I’d _wanted_ to. The shoe wasn’t fitting so well, after all.

I got into my first outfit and went to show Petra. I stepped out of the changing room and Petra was waiting for me. “Look at me, a pretty lady!” I declared.

For moment she blushed, then as if she was trying to conceal a thought of hers, she almost whispered “a very pretty man, might even catch me off my guard.” I rolled my eyes and cast them around the store. No one was nearby. She continued: “Now spin around so I can see how the outfit… It really suits you, Kate! You’ve grown a lot more graceful since we first met.”

This inspection continued until I tried on everything we’d selected. She would judge whether it looked good both in style and how well it fit my body. After I had enough clothes, she said, with a twinkle in her eye, we must do one more thing. She grabbed me by the hand, none too gently, and leading me with my new purchases took me to get my ears pierced. I stood outside nervously. This was something I was looking forward to with much ecstasy. I’d always wanted my ears pierced, as earrings are so pretty. But as a man, I would have been betraying my manhood to have pierced ears. It was so visible and irreversible. As if reading my mind, Petra came over and whispered in my ear “if you don’t like it, it goes away with time, if you take the piercings out while they’re fresh.” She put her hand reassuringly on my back, and with that I entered the shop with a giddy shiver.

I nearly cried as the piercing gun entered my earlobes. This., I thought, this makes me look like a real, beautiful, woman. This will fulfill a deep dream of mine. I just hope that at my addition they didn’t notice I was wearing clip-ons!

When I got home, I burst into tears. Petra had rushed off to study for a test, so I was left alone in the apartment. Alone with my thoughts. Things have changed for me a lot since I was a sophomore. I feel so alone and confused. I now knew I wasn’t much of a man, and all this wasn’t just an experiment to flex my acting skills. I feel amazing when I dress and act as a woman, more comfortable with myself, but was I a transsexual? I’d heard that transsexuals felt like they were trapped in the wrong body and had felt that way since birth. While my body could certainly do with some improvements and my maleness… didn’t fit into my self-image, I think my body is generally fantastic. I enjoy the competition of serious sports and find chicks hot. And I’ve only felt…. I’ve only felt… _this_ way since I did the play. Before I’d mostly gotten away with being a boy, and it’d been mostly ok. No one, not even my best friend, knew what I was going through, I was sure! I feel so alone and out of place, and…. Thank God all my roommates are still out of the house!

I need to calm down. With a deep breath I turn on my radio to a top hits station, hoping something will come on and make me feel better. The first song that came on, however, was Come on Eileen, right at the part that goes “They’re resigned to what their fate is, but not us, no never, no not us, no never”, it struck a chord with me and by the time the “too ra loo ra too re loo rye aye” came along I was balling so hard it hurt. What even _was_ my fate?

Then I heard a loud banging on the door. “ey, dude, some of us are trying to study!” I must’ve not heard the door open and my roommate enter the apartment. I try to turn my balling into sobs, and I put my face into the pillow. After a few more minutes, and a few more songs from the radio, I was dry. My face was red and irritated, I needed a shower. I grabbed a towel and walked out of my room. “Oooo, there’s a pretty lady!” came a jeer from my roommate.

“Shut up, Lucas!” I didn’t need this right now.

“How _very_ lady like.” He jeered again.

“You know what?” I start but, then drop the thread leaving him wondering what I was going to say before running into the bathroom for my shower. I hoped to come up with what I would tell my roommates while showering, but as soon as I turned on the tap, my thoughts seemed to fly from my head, as I just enjoyed the water. I finished the shower with no more idea about what would happen next than when I entered but feeling much better.

I put my stuff in my room after I was done showering. Deep breath. I enter the common room. “Lucas. I have to tell you something.”

“Ok, bro.”

“I’m an actress--”

“And I’m a ‘tutor’. Interesting tactic to get a lady. Befriend her as her gal pal. Much more clever than me.”

“That’s not why I’m—”

“Oh. It’s not? So that _lesbian_ friend you have the hots for….”

“She’s not—I don’t! But that’s not the point!” I blurt out.

His eyes contradict every statement I’ve made. I concede in kind. Then I continue: “I’ve got a job as an actress. You shall call me Kate.” My voice was rising, and I was moving closer and closer to him, while his back became positively glued to the wall. “It’s about fine tuning my craft. And it’s a _real_ job. You shall treat me as a woman, while I am dressed as one, for I am, for sake of my job, an actress. And you shall not tell anyone, except our roommates. I do not need my reputation ruined. Under. Stood?” When I ended my little monologue, my finger was almost at his nose. He looked quite started. He meekly nodded. “say it.” I commanded.

“Yes, Kate. I will do my best.”

He’ll probably go back to teasing me tomorrow, but for tonight I’m satisfied.

***

As rehearsals went on, I got used to being a full time woman. Moving my body in ways that a woman moved became second nature. Socializing with the other woman in the cast was a pure delight and easier than socializing with men had ever been. Even talking about men, though I didn’t desire them, started to seem natural! The difference between them and me became age, I, being the youngest by far.

I spent most of my time in rehearsals or rehearsing with Petra or alone. Alternatively, I would tell Petra was rehearsing by myself, but really, I was ashamed of what I was doing. I was in my room, in my bed, and not practicing any lines, but rather reading Vogue, Ms. or some other magazine directed at women _or_ I read Turn About, a TV/TS magazine which I would occasionally go pick up. Without school, my life just seemed to be consumed by work and reading magazines. Do you know how much college just _is_ life for a college student?

***

One night my roommates decided to try to get me out of my room.

“Come on, man,” Lucas begged. “We don’t have to do wasted Wednesdays wasted. I know you take your work seriously, but we could all go bowling, relax, have fun.” he reasoned. “Just us boys.” He gestured at me and our other roommates. So, I’m supposed to be a boy tonight. Got it.

“Sounds fun.” I agree.

“OK be ready by 9? Start the night early, end early, huh?” We all nod in agreement.

At 8: 30 I stop working so that I will have time to get ready for tonight. I begin to strip off my day clothes. The boys want this to be a bros’ night, and I know that. I take off my wig and begin to take off my makeup. But I catch a glance of myself in one of the mirrors I have in my room, and I know what I have to do.

Why would I be a boy tonight? So I get ready to go out for a night of sober fun, with my bros. What Kate wears for a night on the town, when she’s—I’m—not feeling like partying! I burst on a skirt, leggings, a cute top along with a springtime vest. I still wore my wig, but I pulled it into a ponytail and then placed a pop of lipstick on my lips. And a cute pair of dangly earrings topped my outfit off. It was nine-twenty five, and the boys were waiting. Lucas was exasperated. “Geez, it’s Kate, and she’s keeping us waiting! Why can’t you be like a _normal_ boy and be ready in five minutes?”

“I don’t know how you do it, cause I sure can’t”

We leave the apartment and start walking downtown.

“So, what are we? You’re three _boyfriends_ now? All on a triple date with the same girl?” teases Lucas, as usual. “ _Normally,_ girls go out with _one_ boy.”

“No, I still like women.”

“So you’re not _really_ a woman. But why dress as a woman? This was supposed to be about hanging with us, as bros.” He thinks for a moment. “Wait. We’re not going to run into your lesbian friend? You’re not still trying to pick her up!”

I blush at the mention of Petra. She’s my best friend, and our relationship works as best friends, but I still think she’s hot.

The boys had been good about calling me Kate and not interfering with my work, but we also haven’t really talked.

I take a deep breath before answering. “I don’t know, Lucas. Petra’s had quite an effect on me. You remember how much I complained about being picked for playing Katerina. But then Petra helped me feel comfortable and good about playing her. I found I enjoyed playing the role. And Petra was the best mentor I’ve ever had, she really worked with me, and I was all wild and shrew, but when she coaxed out my gentle side, I couldn’t resist it. Being Kate has turned out to be something too good to give up!”

His facial expression suggests I may have raised more questions than I answered. “But that doesn’t make sense! A person can’t just be _tamed_ into a woman!” The blood rushes out of his head leaving his cheeks pale, as a new, terrifying thought enters his head. “You’re a man! I mean…if you got…uhhhhhhhhh… you know…” he gestures at his man parts. “Are you saying you’re like actually one of…those people?” He looks totally dumb founded. It’s amazing.

“If I knew, I would gladly tell you.” We arrive at the bowling alley.

Then one of my other roommates turned to us and shouted “Come on ladies. Time for me to whip all your asses!”

“Oh no you won’t! My bowling skills haven’t gone anywhere!” I retort.

And they haven’t. I won three times in a row. Then I went home. The boys wanted to get wasted.

***

That night seemed provide some sort of clarity to me. I wasn’t sure what was happening to me or what I would do. But I did know, in a still uncertain and wavery way, that Kate was me, and that wasn’t going to change. Once I got home, I found a copy of Turn About, and put in for a subscription. Then I got ready for bed and lay down, ready to sleep.

I honestly don’t know how this happened, but I didn’t think much of that conversation or putting in for a subscription at the time. I wouldn’t think of it until several weeks later. I stayed up late that night, unable to sleep, and worried for the thousandth time if it is ok to have a crush on your _platonic_ best friend. I didn’t think about being Kate.

***

Rehearsals have kept me busy and I kept my mind focused on work. Until tonight. Tonight, we had a particularly grueling tech rehearsal that had gone on for hours without end. First all the lights broke and had to be replaced, then a part of the set collapsed, almost landing on a crew member. The night felt cursed. No one wanted to work. By the time the piece was put back together and every other part of the set was checked to make sure it was safe, all the actors where tired, including myself. And I think I may have slipped. Really confused on how, but…hum. The night is still a blur, I don’t remember everything that happened, but I was called off the stage during a run through from start to finish of the play. The director just stopped the whole production, told me I was acting too much “like a man”, those where his exact words, and then had everyone start the run through again, with no notes to anyone else! I’m still trying to figure out what I did or how I acted, because I. don’t. know. I don’t know if it was just that moment or if I’ve never passed in his eyes, and that’s the scary thing. Did the director knowingly hire a man? Or did I just slip in that moment? Or does he still not suspect a thing? Does anyone know or suspect my sex? This has been freaking me out. And the worst part is no one said anything or even looked at me after the director said that. After rehearsal we all went home as fast as we could. No one said anything to anyone. And now I’m home and it’s 1:00 AM and my brain is on fire. I can’t sleep, I. Can. Not think, I must obsess about this night. And also, about the night my roommates and I went bowling. And basically, every time I’ve talked to Lucas since the start of the year. And. I’ve picked up a pen and paper hoping it will help me process what’s happened, but my brain is still on fire. I’m so scared of going to work tomorrow because I have no idea what happened. But opening night is just around the corner. I need to sleep. I have many hours of rehearsal tomorrow.

I can’t write any more. I get up and start to pace. I see the latest copy of Turn About sitting on my bed. I haven’t had time to read it. I pick it up and sit on the bed. I sit down. I aimlessly flip through the pages. I can’t read. My brain is on fire. What if this isn’t a phase? What if I’m always to be Kate? Kate doesn’t feel like a costume or a character that I can just take off, like the characters I play in a play. I don’t think I can take her off. What if… What if I’m an extremely mannish-in-build, athletic, girl who likes girls? Do I really hate my maleness, or do I just hate that it doesn’t fit with my self-image at the moment? But what even is this line of questions anyway?

Then in a flash, I remembered that day in the mall, when I said “I’m a pretty lady” and had thought I’d meant “I look beautiful and feminine _like_ a woman”. I thought of all the times being a woman had felt more natural to me than any experience as a man ever had. I looked at the magazine in my hands and thought of how much I absolutely ate it up. I thought of how much I love Kate and how happy she makes me feel every day since that spring sophomore year. I got up and wrote one more sentence on the sheet of paper I’d been writing on. Then I turned out the lights and was sound asleep in an instant.

***

The next day Petra met me at the theater. “Break a leg, cutie” she said. Then she did something she’d never done before. She asked for a kiss and stood on her toes to place a kiss gently on my lips. I stood there for a second, dreamy eyed. She put her hand gently on my back, “now get going, you goose!” and with that, she gently pushed me forward.

It was opening night. The stage lights turn on. The play begins. I step on to the stage and feel warmth of those lights shining on me. Serenity flows over me. This character would melt away, but at last, I knew that the actress who played her, was here to stay.

***

Epilogue. 

One night I was sitting at home, looking for work. I’d recovered from the hip surgery (flipin sports injuries!) and wanted to get back to work. My wife arrived home from her work. “I have a surprise for you” she said with a big smile. She handed me a package. “may I open it now?” I asked. “Yes, my dearest, Kate.” She ruffled my now long hair and placed a peck on my cheek. I open it and find to my surprise it is that hat I wanted so long a go! “Now go put it on and get changed into something nice. Now that you are feeling good, we can go out with some friends. I’ve already made the arrangements.” I lean in to give her a big thank you kiss. How did I manage to get such a lovely wife as Petra?

***

THE END


End file.
